June 22, 2025
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Shashank Singh breaks down in tears after falling agonisingly short of pulling off miracle IPL title win for PBKS vs RCB

Shashank Singh breaks down in tears after falling agonisingly short of pulling off miracle IPL title win for PBKS vs RCB

Danijones05 mins

Jun 04, 2025 10:36 AM IST Shashank Singh’s valiant innings of 61*(30) proved to be nothing except a consolation as Punjab ultimately fell 6 runs short of the IPL title. It was RCB’s night at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans were rewarded for years and years of there-but-not-quite moments as they beat Punjab Kings by 6 runs to seal their first ever IPL title. That margin of victory flatters PBKS a touch, given the match felt done and dusted by the time the final over began, but it also speaks to a phenomenal effort by Shashank Singh, who battled ferociously to score 61*(30) and ensure his team could salvage some pride and take away some confidence from a heartbreaking night. Shashank Singh was left in tears after Punjab Kings failed to chase down 191 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2025 Final.(Screengrab) Shashank’s effort saw him score 22 off the last 4 deliveries of the innings when 29 were required off Josh Hazlewood. While these were futile runs, it was still impressive hitting against a premier fast bowler. Having run out of partners at the other end as he saw wickets tumbling, the effort taxed Shashank, who was spotted by broadcast cameras shattered and in tears after the last ball of the innings. Although he had lofted a beautiful six over extra cover, it wasn’t enough, and the emotions caught up with the PBKS vice-captain. Amidst all the raucous celebrations from the RCB dugout and their faithful fans in the stands, Shashank had to take a moment to crouch on the pitch as the emotions got to him at the end of a campaign that Punjab will remember fondly, but also in a bittersweet manner as they fell just short at the final hurdle. Punjab’s chase loses steam vs RCB Chasing 191 in Ahmedabad, Punjab’s innings seemed to be going well at the top as openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya strung together a partnership. However, Priyansh’s wicket, completed as Phil Salt took a wonderful catch at the boundary, opened the window for RCB to fight back. The wickets of Prabhsimran and captain Shreyas Iyer fell in the space of two overs, and a dangerous-looking knock from Josh Inglis was brought to an end by Krunal Pandya a couple of overs after that. Coming in in the 13th over, Shashank kept PBKS in the hunt, but a struggling Nehal Wadhera at the other end sapped the momentum from the chase. After Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis were dismissed in the same over by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, RCB could practically smell the IPL trophy, despite Shashank hitting a couple of mighty sixes against their premier bowler Hazlewood in his penultimate over. In the end, Shashank didn’t get enough of the strike at the end, as Yash Dayal’s 18th over only went for 5 runs and made RCB firm favourites to win from that point. News / Cricket News / Shashank Singh breaks down in tears after falling agonisingly short of pulling off miracle IPL title win for PBKS vs RCB See Less

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Virat Kohli visits 'heartbreak corner' after RCB win IPL, throws bat at Rajat Patidar, gets cut off by Mayank Agarwal

Virat Kohli visits ‘heartbreak corner’ after RCB win IPL, throws bat at Rajat Patidar, gets cut off by Mayank Agarwal

Danijones07 mins

The last two years have brought Virat Kohli so much joy. Kohli became a father for the second time last year, when he and Anushka Sharma welcomed their son Akaay into the world. In June, Kohli won the T20 World Cup for India and nine months later, the Champions Trophy for the second time. And just last night, Kohli was crowned an IPL winner, putting an end to an 18-year wait. If you’re Virat Kohli, all those years of coming within striking distance of achieving glory are finally waning. Think of the unimaginable heartbreaks – losing in the semifinals of the 2015, 2016 and 2019 World Cups, the final of the CT in 2017, and twice in the World Test Championship. It was not easy being Kohli before 2024. Virat Kohli inside the dressing room after RCB’s IPL win(Screengrab) And despite all that being a thing of the past, Kohli still remembers it all in some corner of his heart. On November 19, 2023, he was at the same venue – the Narendra Modi Stadium – at an equally big occasion – the final of a big cricket tournament. Only this time, the result is one to cherish. As Kohli realised his IPL dream, he, along with AB de Villiers, entered the same dressing room, where a little less than two years ago, Kohli and a billion Indian cricket fans endured quite possibly the biggest heartbreak of their lives when Australia beat India to lift the 2023 World Cup. But the best thing about time, as they say, is that it changes. For Kohli, this was the moment. Also Read: Virat Kohli mentions Test cricket for the first time since retirement, says ‘IPL win with RCB still five levels below it’ “Heartbreak corner… no more,” Kohli said as he entered the dressing room. It was at this venue where he and Rohit Sharma met Prime Minister Narendra Modi with heavy and moist eyes. Kohli somehow managed to stay strong in front of the PM, unlike Rohit who looked like breaking down any moment. But if you noticed carefully, he was nowhere to be seen later. This was a guy determined to win the World Cup for India. He led from the front, scoring over 700 runs, and yet it was not enough. Also Read: ‘There is an end date’, Virat Kohli makes hearts stop; addresses his IPL future after RCB win trophy Nothing. And we mean absolutely nothing can heal those scars, although India have won two ICC titles since. But for Kohli, ending a near two-decade-long wait at the same venue would surely ease the pain of November 19 that much more. Being the champion that he is, Kohli doffed his hat at Rajat Patidar and applauded the man who triumphed in just his maiden season as captain of the franchise. “What a turn around. From injury replacement to IPL-winning captain. Bloody Hell,” he said before taking out his favourite bat and throwing it at Patidar. The RCB captain, in a show of respect, kissed the willow. Oh, what a moment! Watch the video below: Virat Kohli can’t wait to come to Bengaluru “Very difficult to explain, man,” Kohli said to the RCB cameraman. I think I am going to feel the real side of it when we get to Bengaluru tomorrow, and celebrate it with the city and the fans who have stood with us through thick and thin. So I am just relieved. Full bunch of match winners. People stepping up at different stages and putting their hands up to get the job done for the team. To have that hunger and confidence in them. This guy, local lad [points to Mayank Agarwal] comes in place of Dev [dutt Padikkal]. You could see they wear that badge with pride… of RCB. That can never go away from a Bengaluru boy and yeah, this guy was special.” Just as Kohli was about to finish, Agarwal entered the fray and apologised. “Sorry to cut you off. You playing for Bengaluru for 18 years, I can tell you one thing. You are as much a Bengaluru boy as anybody else. I am sure you have an idea but tomorrow and the coming days, you will really experience the love of this city,” Agarwal added. Lastly, the parting words from Kohli summed up his emotions. “I am just glad that I could do it with RCB.”

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'Loyalty carves legacies': Anand Mahindra hails Virat Kohli's 18-year wait for IPL glory | Cricket News

‘Loyalty carves legacies’: Anand Mahindra hails Virat Kohli’s 18-year wait for IPL glory | Cricket News

Danijones03 mins

Virat Kohli (Pic credit: RCB) NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s 18-year-long wait for an Indian Premier League (IPL) title finally came to an emotional end on Tuesday night, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) edged past Punjab Kings by six runs in a pulsating final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Kohli, who has been the face of the franchise since its inception in 2008, top-scored with 43 off 35 balls in the final — a crucial knock in RCB’s maiden title win.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!As Kohli lifted the IPL trophy for the first time in his storied career, tributes poured in from all quarters. Among the most heartfelt was one from Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group. Taking to social media platform X, Mahindra wrote: “Loyalty like this doesn’t just win titles — it carves legacies.”Who’s that IPL player? ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win The industrialist’s tribute underlined Kohli’s unwavering commitment to RCB over nearly two decades. “For 18 years, Virat Kohli gave his heart to a team that had never touched the trophy. Waiting for the light of that dawn. And now, at last, the stars have answered his faith,” Mahindra added.Quoting poet Rabindranath Tagore, he started his post, writing: “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.” Kohli, who joined RCB as a teenager after leading India to the U-19 World Cup title in 2008, has seen three previous IPL finals slip away — in 2009, 2011, and 2016. Despite stepping down as captain in 2021, Kohli remained RCB’s emotional and batting anchor. His record-breaking 973 runs in the 2016 season still stand unmatched.

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IPL 2025 Awards List: Who won the Orange Cap, Purple Cap, Emerging Player award? Check full list of winners

IPL 2025 Awards List: Who won the Orange Cap, Purple Cap, Emerging Player award? Check full list of winners

Danijones04 mins

The IPL 2025 season came to an end with Royal Challengers Bengaluru triumphing over Punjab Kings in a memorable final, with Krunal Pandya winning his second Final player of the match award for a special display of defensive spin bowling to finish with figures of 2-17. With RCB captain Rajat Patidar lifting the trophy, these weren’t the only awards handed out on the night, as 74 games of cricket were all taken into consideration to hand out a range of individual and team awards. Sai Sudharsan receives the Orange Cap award from BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla after scoring 759 runs during IPL 2025.(PTI) Here is a comprehensive list of all the awards handed out on the night in IPL 2025: IPL 2025 MVP, Orange Cap, Purple Cap, Emerging Player winners list IPL 2025 Most Valuable Player: Suryakumar Yadav (MI) The MVP award went to Indian T20I captain and Mumbai Indians star batter Suryakumar Yadav, who amassed 717 runs at an average of 65 and strike-rate of 168 through the tournament, with remarkable consistency.  IPL 2025 Orange Cap: Sai Sudharsan (GT) — 759 runs Sai Sudharsan won the Orange Cap for a terrific season that saw him score six half-centuries and one century enroute to 759 runs in the season at the top of GT’s spectacular top three. Not the only award that Sudharsan would win on the night. IPL 2025 Purple Cap: Prasidh Krishna (GT) — 25 wickets An Orange-Purple double for Gujarat Titans, with Prasidh Krishna’s phenomenal bounce-back season after missing two years seeing him take 25 wickets in 15 games to take both awards home for GT. IPL 2025 Emerging Player of the Year Award: Sai Sudharsan (GT) — 759 runs 23-year-old Sudharsan also took home the Emerging Player award for his incredible production, a tournament that earned him consideration and a call-up to the Indian Test team. IPL 2025 Super Striker of the Season: Vaibhav Suryavanshi (RR) — 206.6 sr IPL 2025 Most Sixes: Nicholas Pooran (LSG) — 40 sixes IPL 2025 Most Fours: Sai Sudharsan (GT) — 88 fours IPL 2025 Most Dot Balls: Mohammed Siraj (GT) — 151 dots IPL 2025 Catch of the Season: Kamindu Mendis (SRH) vs Dewald Brevis IPL 2025 Fairplay Award: Chennai Super Kings IPL 2025 Fantasy King of the Season: Sai Sudharsan (GT) — 1495 points

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'Fitting that jersey No 18 lifts the trophy': Sachin Tendulkar congratulates RCB for IPL triumph | Cricket News

‘Fitting that jersey No 18 lifts the trophy’: Sachin Tendulkar congratulates RCB for IPL triumph | Cricket News

Danijones04 mins

Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat PBKS by six runs (Image via X/@RCBTweets & sachin_rt) Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their first Indian Premier League title on Tuesday after an 18-year wait, with star Virat Kohli taking center stage. RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in a thrilling match at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, marking a historic moment for the franchise and its longest-serving player Kohli.The No 18’s wait for IPL glory finally coming to an end attracted praise from far and wide. Among those congratulating Kohli was the legend Sachin Tendulkar, who took to social media platform X to acknowledge the victory. He highlighted the symbolic connection between Kohli’s jersey number and the tournament’s 18th edition.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Congratulations to @RCBTweets on their first-ever IPL title. Fitting that jersey no. 18 lifts the trophy in the 18th edition. Well played and well deserved! Well played to @PunjabKingsIPL as well for a well-fought season,” wrote Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar’s tweet congratulating RCB and Virat Kohli has gone viral (Image via X/@sachin_rt) Kohli, who has been with RCB since 2008, played a crucial role in the team’s success, emerging as the highest run-scorer with 657 runs in 15 matches during the 2025 edition. His crucial knock of 43 from 35 balls proved to be instrumental in the win as well. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win The victory held special significance for RCB, who had previously faced disappointment in three finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016. The win was particularly emotional for Kohli, who has been a cornerstone of the team throughout their journey. Poll Do you think Kohli will retire with more IPL titles? “I have given my youth, my prime. I gave it everything I have — I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled,” Kohli expressed after the match.Who’s that IPL player?The triumph marked the end of a long drought for the franchise and its loyal fanbase, who had supported the team through multiple rebuilds and heartbreaks over the years. The victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium represented a defining moment for both the franchise and Kohli, transforming a narrative of near-misses into one of ultimate success.

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CSK, PBKS - The Hindu

IPL 2025 final RCB vs PBKS | Royal Challengers end long wait for maiden title 

Danijones05 mins

Royal Challengers Bengaluru is no longer the bridesmaid. From being a three-time runner-up, RCB finally scaled the peak to lay claim on the IPL trophy. Seventeen editions of yearning and heartbreak turned into unadulterated joy for the massive fanbase as RCB shut out Punjab Kings by six runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Tuesday. Virat Kohli, the owner of a dazzling array of titles and milestones, added the one highlight missing in the list. Rajat Patidar, in his first season as RCB captain, achieved what many of his exalted predecessors — Kohli, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, to name a few — could not attain. IPL 2025: RCB brings trophy home after 18 years, beats PBKS in finals After 17 long years, Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifts the IPL trophy, defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in a nail-biting IPL 2025 final. | Video Credit: The Hindu In front of a packed house, filled predominantly by RCB supporters, the franchise choked a nervy PBKS. RCB seemed to have dropped the ball by making 190 for nine, but more than made up for it with an excellent bowling performance. Victory celebrations started early, when the in-form PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer nicked an innocuous ball outside off stump from medium-pacer Romario Shepherd. Shreyas, the mastermind behind PBKS’ successful chase against Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2, left the field for one. And with him went PBKS’ own hopes of winning a maiden IPL title. Shepherd may have picked up the big wicket of Shreyas, but it was Krunal Pandya who set it up. Coming into the attack in the seventh over, the left-arm spinner tied the batters in knots by keeping an exceptional length. The 34-year-old conceded just 17 runs in his four overs, to go with the wickets of Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis. Shashank Singh (61 n.o., 30b, 3×4, 6×6) hung around in an attempt to spoil the RCB party, to no avail. Shreyas called it right at the toss, and like he did against MI, chose to field first. Spells of rain a few hours before the start of the outing made the pitch wet, which led to the RCB batters taking a circumspect approach. Save for a cameo from Phil Salt, the RCB top order stayed cautious. Kohli (43, 35b, 3×4) took up the anchor role, keeping the ball along the ground and running quick singles and twos. This did increase the pressure on his partners, who were forced to adopt aggressive tactics. With the run rate dropping below nine an over, RCB needed Jitesh Sharma to go all guns blazing. Jitesh was up for it with a 10-ball 24. PBKS would have felt it did well to restrict RCB to below 200, but there would be no stopping RCB from making history. Published – June 04, 2025 09:54 am IST

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Netherlands vs Nepal, ICCCWCLT, Today Match Prediction

Netherlands vs Nepal, ICCCWCLT, Today Match Prediction

Vann Hiso010 mins

𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 :​​​ Netherlands vs Nepal​𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : June 04,Wednesday𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 : 15:30 PM IST​​​𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 :​ Forthill, Dundee​𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : ICC Cricket World Cup League Two, 2023-27​ Netherlands eying the top spot in the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27. Netherlands vs Nepal TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website. NED vs NEP Match Prediction & Analysis Netherlands, Scotland, and Nepal are currently playing a triangular series in Scotland. With two dramatic finishes so far, the Netherlands will play against Nepal at Forthill, Dundee, on 4th June from 3:30 pm onwards. The Netherlands are currently second in the points table with 26 points in 20 games, just two points apart from the table topper, the USA.  The Netherlands played their last game against the hosts at the same venue. Bowling first, they got hammered by the Scottish middle order. Scotland set a target of 381 runs for the Netherlands team. Kyle Klein and Paul van Meekeren took three wickets each. In return, the Dutch batting lineup collapsed to 235 to lose the game by 145 runs. Bas de Leede scored 74 runs in the middle. Nepal registered a dramatic victory over Scotland in the penultimate ball of their last game. Bowling first, Nepal restricted Scotland to 296 for the loss of 7 wickets. Rijan Dhakal, Karan KC, and Sompal Kami took two wickets each. Kushal Bhurtel and Karan KC then scored half-centuries during the chase to win the game in the final over. This was Nepal’s third win of the tournament. Both teams met at Kirtipur back in 2024 to play their last ODI against each other. Batting first, Nepal was bowled out to 172 after Vivian Kingma and Aryan Dutt picked up three wickets each. Vikramjit Singh scored 58 runs in return to help the Netherlands win the game by 8 wickets. TEAMS PREVIEW Netherlands Preview Michael Levitt will open the innings with Max ODowd. Levitt has scored 336 runs in 13 innings at an average of 25.84. ODowd is the Netherlands’ leading run-scorer with 668 runs at an average of 40. This includes 5 half-centuries. He will be the batter to watch out for. Zach Lion Cachet will come at number three. Cachet has 155 runs with the bat and has picked up 7 wickets with the ball so far. Teja Nidamanuru will come in the middle with skipper Scott Edwards, Bas de Leede, and Noah Croes. Nidamanuru is going through a poor form with the bat and has 130 runs in the last 6 innings. Edwards has been phenomenal in the middle with 529 runs at an average of 35.26. Bas de Leede scored 74 off 67 balls in the last game. He has 335 runs in the tournament so far at an average of 42, the highest among his teammates.  Kyle Klein will lead the bowling attack with Paul van Meekeren, Roelof van der Merwe, and Fred Klaassen. Klein has 32 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 15.81. He is their leading wicket-taker and the bowler to watch out for. Meekeren has 28 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 16. Both picked up three wickets each in the first game. van der Merwe has the lowest economy among the bowlers (3.90) while picking up 17 wickets. It will be interesting to see if Aryan Dutt comes back in the squad. Dutt has 27 wickets in 15 games. Nepal Preview Nepal has an altogether different journey in the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27. They have just three wins. The sweetest among all came in the last game. Kushal Bhurtel will open the innings with Asif Sheikh. Bhurtel scored 53 in their win against Scotland. He has 231 runs in 10 games and will be the batter to watch out for. Sheikh is Nepal’s leading run-scorer with 274 runs at an average of 27.4. Bhim Sharki will come at number three. He averages 20 in 7 games. Skipper Rohit Paudel will lead the middle order with Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Gulsan Jha. Paudel has 224 runs with the bat and has picked up 5 wickets with the ball so far. Arif is the only batter from Nepal to have an average above 30. He has 183 runs in 7 innings. Jha has 208 runs in 10 innings and 12 wickets at an economy rate just below 6. Rijan Dhakal, Karan KC, Sompal Kami, and Sandeep Lamichhane will take the bowling unit in their hand. Kami is their leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets at an economy of 5.16. He will be the bowler to watch out for. Karan KC was the player of the match in the last game for his 65 runs and 2 wickets. Lamichane has returned to the ground after a long gap with 10 wickets in the last 7 games. Weather Conditions The weather at Chelmsford is expected to be sunny on match day, with temperatures ranging between 12 and 26 degrees Celsius. Winds will blow from the southeast at 10-26 km/h. It is a bowling-friendly pitch. It is a paradise for both batters and bowlers as it offers balance in all innings. The wind will help the pacers swing the ball. NED vs NEP Pitch Report The game will be played at Forthill, Dundee, on 4th June from 3:30 pm onwards. The stadium has a capacity of 6500 spectators and regularly hosts Vitality Blast games. It has hosted 7 ODIs and 10 T20Is so far. Toss: To Bowl In 7 ODI games hosted here, results have favored the teams chasing the target on 4 occasions. The average first innings score is 218. The team winning the toss should bowl first.

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Virat Kohli turns into a kid the moment he sees Ravi Shastri, runs and jumps into his arms in pure joy after IPL win

Virat Kohli turns into a kid the moment he sees Ravi Shastri, runs and jumps into his arms in pure joy after IPL win

Danijones04 mins

At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, 17 years of agony, hope, collapse and comeback finally met closure. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, so often the ‘heartbreak kids’ of the Indian Premier League, clutched glory in a six-run win over Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final, and right at the centre of it stood Virat Kohli, unburdened at last. Virat Kohli races towards Ravi Shastri and hugs him after winning the IPL 2025 title(X) Kohli was emotional as soon as RCB were mathematically assured of the win. He sunk to his knees after the final delivery, and was embraced by all of his teammates soon after. The celebrations ran into the night and following the post-match presentation, a heartwarming video featuring Kohli and former India head coach Ravi Shastri went viral online. Kohli ran playfully and jumped into Shastri, with the two sharing a long embrace. The duo goes a long way, with Kohli and Shastri forming a terrific combo as captain and head coach, respectively, for Team India between 2017 and 2021. Shastri also patted Kohli’s head as the latter eventually hugged him. Watch: The duo’s close bond endured long after Shastri’s departure from the Indian team. Shastri recently revealed that he had an in-depth conversation with Kohli following the batter’s unexpected Test retirement last month. “This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team,” Kohli had said during his interview with Matthew Hayden following the win, voice heavy with emotion. “It’s been 18 long years. I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience… to finally have it is unbelievable.” For Kohli, who joined RCB as a fiery teenager after winning the U19 World Cup in 2008, this wasn’t just a title but a closure of sorts. He had played three IPL finals before, all ending in defeat. On Tuesday, he ensured it would not slip again. His 43 off 35 wasn’t a usual flamboyant knock one expects from Kohli, but it steadied RCB to 190/9, a total their bowlers clung to. PBKS could only reach 184/7 in return despite Shashank Singh’s last over blitz, where he hammered Josh Hazlewood for 22 runs. “I never thought this day would come,” Kohli admitted. “I was overcome with emotion after the last ball. I gave every ounce of my energy.”

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